


Facing Facts

by ownedbyacat



Series: Rise as One [15]
Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ
Genre: Army!fic, Gen, M/M, non-au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-11 23:31:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5645806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ownedbyacat/pseuds/ownedbyacat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Of Junsu's good news and Changmin's New Year's message</p>
            </blockquote>





	Facing Facts

They were on the phone exchanging new year's greetings and reminiscing about other New Year's nights they'd spent on stages and in studios surrounded by crowds of people when the news broke. Yunho, Private _First Class_ Jung Yunho, who didn't have to get permission to cross a base to find a computer with internet access, saw it first. And groaned.

"Should I even ask?"

"Maybe not," Yunho chuckled, wondering if there was any mileage in teasing his partner. He decided against it. Min had a tendency to just hang up when he was annoyed - to stop himself from saying things he'd have to apologise for later when he'd calmed down or so he said - and Yunho was too comfortable curled up in the semidarkness with Changmin's voice in his ear. "But I'm going to tell you anyway. Junsu is officially dating."

Changmin latched onto the one word in that statement that was actually news to him. "Officially?"

"Yep. C-Jes have just confirmed it. So… what do I owe you?"

Yunho had missed most of the clandestine romance while settling into his stint in the military. He'd not believed Changmin's assertions, convinced that Junsu would tell him if he'd met someone he was that serious about. Only to find that the little shit had been too busy to pick up the phone or write an email. To add insult to injury, he'd bet 'favours' against Changmin, even knowing how spectacularly that one could backfire if he lost.

Betting favours against Changmin was worse than playing truth or dare with him. Yunho decided that he must have had a death wish when he'd made that call. Goodness only knew what favour Changmin would decide to extract this time! Yunho could only hope that whatever it was wouldn't land him in the brig in double-quick time. Detention time would be added to his service period. And it would be dishonourable to boot.

"I'm not, you know," Changmin's voice breathed into his ear.

"You're not what?"

"Going to get you in trouble. I could hear you fretting from here."

"Could you, now." Yunho didn't mind being easy to read. Not as long as the one doing the reading was Changmin. They'd depended on each other for too long to go for anything but total trust. He'd never keep secrets from Changmin. Never. Not that that would help him now. "Maybe I've just developed a healthy respect for your deviousness."

"I'm not called Voldemin for nothing, you know."

"I know. So what is it going to cost me this time?"

He could hear Changmin breathing, loading the silence between them with tension. "I'll… think of something," he said finally, voice so soft it was barely a breath.

The sound caught Yunho square in the gut. It brought to mind something that had troubled him earlier in the day, when he'd first seen Changmin's New Year's message to their fans. It hadn't been as upbeat as their messages usually tended to be. Instead, there had been an edge of… unease?

"How are you really?" he asked, opting for the direct approach over something more diplomatic.

"Fine. Why?"

"I saw your message. It wasn't… You weren't…" Words failed him, but Changmin heard him anyway.

"My usual snarky self?" he queried. "No. I wasn't. When I was writing that…. It just suddenly dawned on me."

"What did?"

"That, a whole year from now, I'm still going to be stuck here, away from everyone I care about. Surrounded by strangers. Doing… whatever. Let out every now and then without a chance to meet up with you or do any of the things I really want to do. A whole year, Yunho. And another eight months after that. Fuck!"

Angry tears clogged Changmin's voice. Yunho knew that he couldn't acknowledge them. Not if he wanted Changmin to talk to him ever again. Changmin didn't deal well with change. While undoubtedly smart, he was also stubborn, and he used to be epically shy and in need of quiet time to just sit and think. He'd blossomed and grown in the last few years, but he wouldn't be comfortable trying to settle into a crowd of strangers. Not like Yunho, who loved that part of their job and had quite happily taken the lead when it came to meeting and mingling. Add the responsibilities of a troop leader and Changmin might conceivably have moments when he felt overwhelmed. Especially when he realised that there was no chance to slip away for even a few moments just to breathe.

"Did your CO convince you to sing in church?" he tried to divert his partner. The snort he got in reply wasn't wholly unexpected. "It helps, sometimes," he said carefully, not wanting to antagonise Changmin, but keen to share what he'd learned over the last months. "To go somewhere that sounds, looks and smells different from the base. It… helps."

"That's why you do it?" There was a note of hope in Changmin's voice.

"Some," Yunho carefully fanned the spark. "I also like meeting the people. Not something you can be accused of."

"Hey! I like people." Changmin swallowed and tried that again. "I like some people."

"I know you do, Minnie-ah. And despite everything, I hope I'm one of those people."

"You are," Min whispered. "You've always been that."

"Then take some advice, Changmin. You're Buddhist. So cultivate acceptance. And while you do that, imagine you're back living in the dorms. Do what you used to do then. Find activities that take you away from the base, away from your troop even. Quiet spaces are everywhere. You just have to look for them. Just like you used to."

"I did, didn't I?"

Yunho heard the smile and encouraged it. "Only Jaejoong was better at sneaking out. Not that I recommend you try that where you are!"

"Don't worry. I won't jeopardise our comeback stage. You can bet your ass on that!"

And there was the determination he was used to hearing from his partner. Yunho breathed, not realising how concerned - no, how downright scared! - he'd been for a few moments. Changmin's stubborn streak had its uses and he really needed to remember that in the months to come.

"I dare you to write a more cheerful message than me next time," he said.

"You're on."

They hung up without goodbyes as they usually did. And Yunho was cheered when he received a very brief text three days later. One that only said: _Favour accepted._


End file.
